Night People Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		3.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.0

Night People Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf July 30, 2017

It takes someone as commanding as Gregory Peck to keep 1954’s “Night People” as compelling as it can be. It’s a story of political and military maneuvering, but doesn’t inspire a level of suspense normally associated with post-war troubles, with writer/director Nunnally Johnson electing a more theatrical approach for his directorial debut. “Night People” isn’t gripping, but it holds attention thanks to Peck and co-star Broderick Crawford, who deliver pained, agitated work to keep a weirdly knotted tale moving along.

Peck stars as Lt. Col. Van Dyke, a non-nonsense provost marshal in West Berlin put in charge of retrieving an American soldier kidnapped by East Germans, with the young man’s father, Leatherby (Broderick Crawford), arriving to put his influence and money to work to bring his boy home. The story commences with a degree of simplicity, but it complicates in a hurry, inspecting European paranoia, moral choices, and the sting of bureaucracy.

Night People Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

While billed as a "Brand New 4K Restoration," issues plague the AVC encoded image (2.55:1 aspect ratio) presentation. Blacks are especially troublesome, finding evening sequences looking milky, not deep, and posturization is prevalent throughout, filling nighttime encounters with bursts of pixelation. The viewing experience is stronger when fully illuminated, showcasing adequate detail with fibrous costumes and set decoration, and the CinemaScope "look" is on full display, with a seemingly inherent vertical stretch on the left side of the frame. Colors are agreeable, best with bolder uniforms. Source is in decent shape, without overt points of damage.

Night People Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix offers interesting directional activity to support character movement within scenes, opening up the dramatic opportunities of the movie. Dialogue exchanges are mostly clear, though slight changes in quality are detected throughout. Music comes through as intended, offering loud marching band numbers to bookend the picture, which largely remains undisturbed by scoring. Atmospherics sell city life and restaurant bustle.

Night People Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Interview (8:49, HD) collects Cecilia, Carey, and Tony Peck to discuss their father's legacy in film acting, beginning with a breakdown of his training, developing a process that would come to serve characterization and professionalism over the decades. Only a little bit of reflection is permitted for "Night People," with Cecilia exploring Gregory's support of untested director Nunnally Johnson, only to experience tensions on set as the helmer wanted to keep production pace racing along. She also shares Gregory's confusion with the "Night People" plot.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (2:48, HD) is included.

Night People Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Night People" can be frustratingly static, lacking a cinematic edge despite its CinemaScope presentation. However, Peck and Broderick bring gravitas to the endeavor, communicating the difficulty of choices and the price of freedom with precision, delivering dramatic intensity when the rest of the film lacks such urgency.